


Peak Performance

by KB9VCN



Category: El Hazard: The Magnificent World
Genre: F/M, Humor, Mountaineering, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-11-30
Updated: 2002-11-30
Packaged: 2018-09-06 16:16:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8760169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KB9VCN/pseuds/KB9VCN
Summary: Written November 2002; humor/romance; about 2000 words.
This takes place shortly after the end of The Alternative World.
This contains very mild adult humor.  Reader discretion is advised.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written November 2002; humor/romance; about 2000 words.
> 
> This takes place shortly after the end of _The Alternative World_.
> 
> This contains very mild adult humor. Reader discretion is advised.

Fujisawa stood, tall and strong, and looked up at the mountain that stood before him.

He was warmly dressed, in layers, even though the Arabic climate of El-Hazard was no different here than in Floristica. He knew that the temperature would fall, as he climbed. He shifted the large backback on his shoulders, adjusted the collar of his outer jacket, and looked up to the peak of the mountain. His eyes narrowed as he squinted past the glare of the sun.

Despite himself, and despite the solemnity of the moment, Fujisawa smiled in anticipation of his adventure. The sunlight gleamed on his teeth. Then, he silently took up his favorite mountaineer's pick-axe, and held it high in one outstretched arm, pointing it towards the peak of the mountain.

_I challenge you,_ he thought. _So. The challenge is made._

_You are the mountain. You are made of granite, cold and hard, unyielding, unchanging. You have stood here for thousands of years before me, and you shall stand here for thousands of years after I am gone. You have stood, tall and strong, over forests that have grown and burned, over oceans that have flooded and ebbed, over civilizations that have flourished and fallen._

_And I am but a man, made of flesh and bone, frail and mortal._

_And yet, I am no ordinary man._

_I am Masamichi Fujisawa, firmly established and highly respected educator. A stranger in this strange world, but an ally of the royal house of Roshtaria. An educated man. And a strong man. My super strength has struck fear in the hearts of many foes, Bugrom and human. My accomplishments will be remembered for generations. I have done the impossible, and done it well._

_And I challenge you. I, the man, challenge you, the mountain._

_Nothing shall stop me. I shall fight you, meter by meter, and though I may suffer setbacks, though I may fall, I shall never give up. I shall overcome you, and I shall win this challenge._

_I won't let anything stop me._

Fujisawa lowered his arm and his pick-axe, and raised his foot to take the first step.

But then, Miz called out, from somewhere close behind him. "Darling? Before we start out, the baby needs a diaper change. And it's your turn to change her."

Fujisawa hung his head. His shoulders slumped. He turned back promptly, and answered in a meek voice.

"Yes, dear."

—

Fujisawa clung to a vertical mountain wall for dear life. He scrabbled desperately for the tiniest cracks with weary hands and aching feet.

He knew this would be the most difficult part of the climb. He had studied all the maps, and read the accounts of all previous expeditions, carefully and thoroughly. Few men had dared to attempt this wall, and fewer still had scaled it successfully.

This was his challenge. A journey to challenge a man's body, his mind, his heart and soul.

Fujisawa looked up, above him, and gulped. _Whew,_ he thought. _I sure could use a cold beer right about now._

And then, he was distracted by the sound of a squeaky wheel.

Miz strolled past, several meters beneath him, along a smooth wide mountain ledge. She carried the baby on her back, a sun parasol in one hand, and she pulled her camping gear along on a wheeled dolly with her other arm. She hummed to herself as she strolled past, enjoying her leisurely walk.

_Damn,_ Fujisawa thought. _I forgot to oil the wheels on that dolly cart._

A few minutes later, Miz came back from the other direction. Her path had ended in a natural landing, and zig-zagged back towards the wall Fujisawa was scaling.

Miz sat down on the ledge with a contented sigh. She was now several meters to Fujisawa's right, and several meters above him. She hung her legs over the ledge, and looked down and out, enjoying the view. Her legs and feet kicked a few pebbles loose. She was not above Fujisawa directly, but the loose gravel was still a distraction.

Fujisawa sighed. "Miz, please."

Miz pulled herself back up with a giggle. "Sorry, dear."

After a few more minutes, and another few precious meters gained by Fujisawa, Miz looked back down at him. "Um, darling? Are you going to be much longer? I'd hate to get too far ahead of you."

Fujisawa sighed again. "Miz, PLEASE. I know it's only a walk for you. We picked this mountain on purpose, because it has a easy path for you and the baby. But this is the hardest part. I'm doing the best that I can."

"Of course," Miz said. "Sorry, dear."

After a few minutes more, Fujisawa heard the baby start to fuss. He smiled to hear his wife take their beloved child in her arms, and shush her, and sing quietly to her. But then, he heard another sound, a sound that was almost too quiet to hear— and yet, a sound that demanded the attention of most men, and a few women.

It was the sound of a woman's blouse as it was unfastened and opened.

Fujisawa allowed himself the briefest glance, at the ledge where Miz sat, and regretted it immediately. He felt his grip weaken, and he scratched to keep his precious hand hold. "Uh, Miz?" he asked, already knowing the answer. "What are you doing?"

"Nursing the baby, of course," Miz said.

"Could you please turn around? Or cover yourself with a towel? Or SOMETHING!?"

"Why?" Miz asked. "There's no one else for kilometers around."

But then, she giggled again. "Oh! Dah-ling! You flatter me! Do I still turn your head, even at my age, and after marriage, and child birth? How wonderful!"

Fujisawa squeezed his eyes shut, and mentally reviewed some words he had not allowed himself to speak aloud since his marriage. _Alright,_ he thought. _The challenge just became more difficult. But I can do this. I can overcome this additional adversity. Yes. I can do this._

_I've battled my personal demons, and won. I don't smoke, any more. I don't drink, any more, either. Well, not that much. Well, OK, quite a bit, but still, a lot less than I used to. And I'm an educated man, and a gentleman. I can control myself._

_Concentrate,_ he thought. _Hand over hand. Slow, steady progress. And, whatever you do, don't look above you, to your right..._

Of course, he completely and utterly failed to do this.

Moments after Miz had answered Fujisawa, she gasped as she heard his body slide down and bounce away from the wall, and, a moment later, land flat on the ledge she had walked, beneath him.

She knew his super strength made him nearly invulnerable, and she knew that he knew how to take a fall, but she still couldn't keep the worry from her voice as she called out. "Masamichi! Are you hurt!?"

She peeked over the ledge, holding her baby close— and giggled.

Fujisawa winced as a few last pebbles fell on him. He looked up at her, and smiled back, a bit sadly, and answered her.

"Only my pride, Miz. Only my pride."

—

Fujisawa put one hand over the edge of the wide ledge where they would camp for the night.

_Just a little more,_ he thought. _Then, to make camp before night fell, to brave the cold, alone, gaining what strength he could from his meager rations, and sleeping on the cold hard ground, only to rise, the next morning, and..._

Miz looked up at him as he pulled himself over the ledge, and smiled cheerfully. She was kneeling over a blazing campfire, with a few pots and dishes set out, and a bedroll unpacked and turned down. The baby lay in a sturdy folding cot at her side.

"Dinner's almost ready, darling," she said, with sweet love in her voice.

Fujisawa grinned. _So much for the struggling-to-survive act,_ he thought. _This is better._

He came to the campfire, and sat down heavily. He eased his backpack from his shoulders, then reached in his jacket and produced a small bottle.

Miz immediately frowned. "Darling!"

Fujisawa smiled. "Don't worry. I brought a half-empty bottle, on purpose. There's only enough for a little pick-me-up. See?" He held the bottle out to her.

Miz took the bottle from him, and held it as if she were weighing it. Her frown turned to an expression of intense concentration.

She suddenly opened it and took a long pull from it herself.

Fujisawa raised a hand. "Wha?... Uh?..."

Miz held the bottle again. "No... not quite." She took another swallow. Then she handed it back to him. "Here you go, darling. THAT shouldn't be too much for you."

Fujisawa took it back from her, grinning sheepishly. "Uh, well, thanks. What's for dinner?"

"Baked potatoes and vegetable stew," Miz said.

Fujisawa hung his head. "Enough with the potatoes!"

Miz didn't turn from the fire, but she tightened her grip on the ladle that she was holding. "What was that?"

Fujisawa grinned sheepishly again. "Uh, I said, I love the potatoes!"

Miz set her ladle down, and scratched at the bonfire, and dug out a foil covered potato from the coals. "Good. Hot potato, coming your way!"

Fujisawa grinned wider. "Aw, c'mon. We're too old for games— OUCH!! OUCH!! OUCH!!"

Miz turned back to him, from the fire, and sighed as he blew on his fingers. "I did try to warn you, darling."

—

Fujisawa and Miz laid side by side, sharing the bedroll. Their baby slept in the cot next to them. They looked up at the stars.

They were responsible campers, and they had completely doused the campfire before going to bed. And there were no other lights to obscure the night sky. The stars shone sharply and brilliantly in the clear night sky.

Miz looked up with the wonder of a small girl. "Oh, it's such a beautiful night. Such a beautiful sky, away from the city."

"Miz? Thank you for coming," Fujisawa said. "Thank you for... putting up with this. It's even better when you're here too."

"Just remember, dear," Miz said, "you promised to come to the Floristica flower show with me next month, in return. And no grumbling."

Fujisawa allowed himself a grimace, knowing that Miz couldn't see it from where she lay. "Yes, dear."

Miz shivered, and squirmed in her blankets. But then, she smiled slyly. "Dah-ling? I'm cold."

Fujisawa frowned. "I'm sorry, Miz, but we're using all of the blankets that we brought with us. Uh, would you like to wear one of my sweaters?..."

Miz sighed. "Honestly, Masamichi. I love you dearly, but you couldn't catch any hint more subtle than a blueprint. Let's try this again, shall we?

"Dah-ling? I'm cold."

Masamichi grinned sheepishly, and raised an arm up, to let Miz snuggle up against him. "Sorry, Miz."

Miz sighed, but happily this time. "It's alright, Masamichi. I've learned to live with it."

They looked up at the stars for a while longer, in silence.

Then Miz snuggled a little bit closer, and raised her hand to trace along Fujisawa's side with a finger. She smiled slyly, again. "Dah-ling?" she asked. "Would you like to..."

* _SNORE_ *, said Fujisawa.

Miz raised her head, with one eyebrow raised, to see her husband fast asleep. She sighed again, as she dropped back, but she smiled again too. "Another time, then," she said, to herself.

She fished in her pockets for a set of earplugs, and put them in to dull the roar of Fujisawa's snoring. She took a glance back at the baby, making sure she was close enough to be heard if she cried in the night, even with the earplugs.

And then, Miz snuggled back up against Fujisawa, and closed her eyes. She sighed once more, still smiling, and went to sleep.


End file.
